Varadero Beach – Airbnb Casas, Cafes & Clubs
Varadero Beach, Cuba. You’ve probably heard of it before from a travel company selling all-inclusive 10 night stays at a 5 star resort. Well, Alisa and I experienced the other side of Varadero Beach, no nothing dark or sinister, but rather the friendly stay at a family casa through Airbnb. We spent 12 days in Cuba, traveling to Havana, Varadero, Trinidad and Vinales. Our 3 days in Varadero were wonderful and just enough to satisfy our craving to lounge on the white sand beach and swim in the clean tropical ocean.
Varadero Beach is a 20 km long peninsula that is quite narrow, with a vibrant local Cuban town atmosphere before the section with all the fancy resorts. Airbnb Casa can be booked from $10 USD per night, making Varadero a destination for all budgets. Dine at the local cafes, restaurants and shop at the stores along Primera Avenida. After dark, enjoy live music, DJs, salsa dancing and a lot of mojitos at the local bars and clubs. Ask your casa host for recommendations because the town of Varadero is a mix of locals and tourists. You might even see your casa host on the dance floor or at the beach. Alisa and I saw our host Ivan and his family playing games and socializing on our evening walk along the beach. Varadero Beach, it’s incredibly beautiful and these is a lot more to enjoy than a resort swimming pool. Definitely check it out.
Varadero Beach
Varadero Beach is one of the highlights of any trip to Cuba. The 20 km long white sand beach is pristine – clean sand, shady palm trees, refreshing turquoise water that gently slopes into the Straits of Florida. Varadero was second on our list for destinations in Cuba after Havana.
Varadero Beach is part of the Matanzas municipality but tourists usually prefer to stay right on the beach peninsula that is separated into two main sections: The town with local Casas at the beginning to Calle 60 (ish), and the All-Inclusive Resorts after Calle 60 to the end of the peninsula. For this article, we focus on the local area with Casa Airbnbs.
Since the 1990s, all-inclusive 4 and 5 star resorts have dominated the local tourism. Under Cuba’s laws, the major resorts must be fully owned or at least co-owned by a Cuban company. But most of that wealth has not trickled down to the local community. The phrase “off-resort” shouldn’t even be a thing, but so many tourists in Varadero never leave their hotel. Of course, all the money they spend stays in the hotel too. Tourists get shuttle-bused in and out and never experience the country, the culture and people of Cuba. For Alisa and I, this type of vacation isn’t travel, it’s not the kind of experience we love and seek out around the world.
The heart of Varadero is in the town and on the narrow peninsula. Off the beach, the peninsula is only a few blocks deep but continues for kilometers out to sea. The main street – Primera Avenida – has shops, cafes, restaurants and bars everywhere, there is always something within walking distance from your Casa.
There are hundreds of locally owned Casas run by amazing families in Varadero and most of them list on Airbnb. From a simple room for as low as $10 USD per night, to a private villa at $100 USD per night. The families will prepare a wonderful breakfast and even give you the option to join them for a superb home cooked meal of local seafood, for a small fee.
We spent our days playing in the water, swimming, taking long walks along the beach and watching the sunset. The locals tend to hit the beach just before sundown, to cool off and play games. After dark, when all the locals and tourists have returned to their casas and hotels, the beach is nearly empty. For those that enjoy the ‘freedoms’ of a nighttime ocean dip, Varadero beach is so massive, there is always space for some privacy. I was really scared of sharks in the pitch black waters, but luckily we survived our nightly escapade intact. I recommend bringing a headlamp or flashlight.
Cafés & Restaurants
Beach Services & Tours
Varadero Beach has a number of services along the beach. Every 500 meters there are parasols and chairs available to rent for the day. For Alisa and I, this was a must since we’d just burn instantly in the sun.
For other services like kayaking, kite boarding and scuba diving, you’ll need to look them up in advance. Varadero Beach is 20 kms, I suggest checking out the links below to tripadvisor for location details.
- Parasol & Chair Rental – 5 to 7 CUC per day
- Kayak Rental – 10 CUC per hour
- Kite Boarding (2)
- Snorkeling
- Underwater Photoshoot
- Scuba Diving – Scuba Libre Varadero
- Horseback Riding
- Saturno Cave
- Josone Park
- Varahicacos Ecological Reserve
Booking Tours on Airbnb
If you haven’t book anything in advance, excursions and tours for scuba diving, water skiing and boating tours to remote islands can be booked at the larger hotels and resorts if you choose to stay in a small family Casa. I recommend heading over to a hotel on your first day to see what you’d like to do over the next few days.
Booking tours in advance of your arrival to Varadero can be challenging due to the lack of internet across Cuba. Some of the larger companies have websites where you can book tours online, but many of the smaller tours company can only be found on Facebook Pages. However, Airbnb has built out a system that uses SMS messages to confirm bookings with companies in Cuba.Disclosure: Airbnb is not a partner of Tallypack Travel, it’s simply the best option for bookings in Cuba.
Local Bars, Music & Dance Clubs
After spending a full day in the sun, swimming in the turquoise waters and lounging on the white sand of Varadero Beach, the strip comes alive after dark with live bands, DJs and salsa dancing. Varadero is simply full of great clubs for your evening entertainment. So here is quick list of the best bars, music and dance clubs sure to get you moving to the beat.
The Best Nightlife in Varadero
- Calle 62 – Live Music (English & Spanish)
- La Bamba Disco – Only opens Saturday Night – DJ
- La Comparsita – 10 CUC Cover with Open Bar once inside
- Beatles Club – Live Bands – Rock & Roll – Metal – Punk Rock
Most tourists recommend going to the Beatles Club, then Calle 62 and finishing the night at La Comparsita. In Varadero, money talks at clubs and bars. If you want to skip a 1 hour line to get in, 50 CUC should be enough. Want quick bar service? – 10 CUC tip on your first drink. Don’t tip the bartender and you’ll be waiting all night for drinks. Money is the name of the game, expect to pay double or triple drink prices and a little more for bribes, but let’s face it… Varadero Nightlife is still way cheaper than a night out in any city in North America.
Beatles Bar
One of the most popular bars to start off a night of dancing and music is the Beatles Bar. Located on Calle 59, it’s only a few blocks from other popular clubs, making Calle 59 to Calle 65 the unofficial pub/club crawl of Varadero.
Unlike some of the bigger clubs, the Beatles Bar is for all ages. It’s free to enter but buying at least a few drinks (reasonably priced) is common courtesy for the experience. There is also food available early in the evening.
As the evening lingers on, the crowd builds and the outdoor patio become a crowded standing room only dance floor to enjoy the non-stop music. After a week in Cuba, settling down for a night of cheap beer, English rock and roll music at a bar with clean bathrooms is a wonderful! It’s a must see in Varadero. A taxi ride to Calle 59 costs 10-15 CUC depending on how far away you are, so it’s quite reasonable. For those staying near Josone Park, perhaps in an Airbnb we recommend below, it’s walking distance to the best nightlife in Varadero.
Varadero Casas - Airbnbs
Airbnb is by far the most popular booking platform now in Cuba. Airbnb has developed a way for hosts to manage their listings using only SMS messages, instead of online as internet access is limited in Cuba. So small Casa owners are able to manage bookings from their mobile phones.
Casas are the cheapest way to stay in Varadero Cuba on a budget. Casa, meaning “home” in Spanish is exactly that, a private room or house to rent from the locals. When travelers think of Varadero, they think All-Inclusive Hotel Resort, a 7 to 10 day vacation with unlimited food, drinks, swimming pools within easy walking distance to the beach. But Airbnb has made booking your own private room or villa with a pool easier, cheaper and more flexible.
So I’ve picked out 5 Top Casas on Airbnb increasing in price from $20 USD per night, to $50 USD per night. The most important feature – being within walking distance to the beach!
Over the course of my travels I have become a little bias. A $20 per night Airbnb is often very similar to a $40 or $60 per night Casa. While visiting Varadero, my experience was almost exactly the same at $20 per night since I spent most of the day at the beach, and most of the night at the bars to listen to live music. The most important thing to look for is the location – walking distance from the beach, places to eat and drink.
If you really feel uncomfortable with Spanish and communication can feel stressful, than look for hosts who speak English. For Alisa and I, we feel quite comfortable handy talking and translating what we need to say in Spanish.
Sonia’s Casa Torres is only two blocks from Varadero Beach. Sonia is a Superhost on Airbnb with over 375 reviews on her listed rentals.
This apartment is between $20 to $25 USD per night, as the price varies between high tourist season and the low season. The apartment includes a small living room, clean bathroom and a bedroom with air con. The apartment is located in a section of the house, but has it’s own private entrance.
Check-in is after 2 pm, but you can arrive and drop off your bags and spend the morning and afternoon at the beach. Check-out is at noon. Best of all, you can always ask for restaurant recommendations or tips for things to do as both Sonia and her sister speak English.
Mercy and Robert have a Casa with two units on Calle 41st, just a few blocks from Varadero Beach and 5 blocks from the Viazul Bus Terminal.
The 1st unit has a full size kitchen, living room, bedroom with air con and a rooftop patio! Robert and Mercy are also Superhosts, so naturally the mini fridge is full of water, beer and other drinks.
You can also ask them for tips for shopping, bar and restaurant recommendations nearby, although you’ll have to do so in easy English or Spanish. They are very flexible for check-in, check-out is noon. For $30 USD per night, this is one of the best options for a short stay in Varadero.
Orlando is another Superhost with an apartment Bed & Breakfast with air con in middle of the Varadero Beach peninsula. The Airbnb is only a 5 minute walk from the beach and right next to Josone Park.
It’s a Bed & Breakfast, so a full meal is available with fruits, yogurt, cheese, ham and fresh coffee, for a small fee between 3-5 CUC per person. The apartment comes with a fully equipped kitchen and dining room, although you’ll probably want to eat on the patio under the parasol!
Check-in is anytime after 3 pm but they allow for you to drop off your bags to hit the beach should you arrive early. Check-out is at noon.
Orlando and his wife speak limited English. Translate important questions to Spanish with an offline translator to avoid any miscommunications. This is wise for all your Airbnbs in Cuba.
A large hotel is only one block away, with internet cards for sale and Wi-Fi. You can also book some excursions at Hotel Cuatro Palmas too, even if you aren’t a guest there.
Daisy’s Hostal is an old colonial style house with multiple Airbnb units. There are three rooms, but a booking only include one room with two double beds and air-con. Each room has a private bathroom with a full shower. This Airbnb is closer to a traditional Bed & Breakfast.
The kitchen is mainly for preparing light snacks like fruit for takeaway to the beach, it’s not for cooking full meals yourself which is why it’s like a B&B. There is staff on site all the time to prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner at your request for a small fee. The main dinning area is outside under a wonderful wood and thatch roof.
Varadero Beach, clubs, stores and restaurants are just a short walk away. Josone Park is nearby as well, although the Hostal property is equally as beautiful! Check-in starts at 1 pm and Check-out is at 11 am.
German Michel and his family have a beautiful private suite with a king size bed at their home just two blocks from Varadero Beach. at $70 USD per night, it is on the higher end of a Casa Airbnb price range in Varadero but it’s truly a full-service experience where you’ll be welcomed into the family.
German will welcome you with fresh mojitos. A nice breakfast is included that you can request for anytime, just let them know in advance when you’ll be eating. You can choose for order a special seafood dinner for 20 CUC per person that includes lobster, or go for a surf & turf option.
There is a small pool, a patio balcony, bicycles and endless hospitality included. German speaks English very well, so feel free to ask him for any recommendations for restaurants, bars, tours and sights to see in Varadero.
Check-in starts at 1 pm but it’s really flexible, simply message German over Airbnb to let him know what time you’ll arrive. Check-out is 11 am.
Getting to Varadero - Viazul Bus
There are five ways to reach Varadero Beach: Viazul Bus, High-End Resort Bus, Taxi Collectivos, Camiones and by Car Rental. The Viazul Bus is the best option.
For backpackers looking to only stay for a few days at a local Casa, the best way is to travel by Viazul Bus. A lot of travel blogs will mention the “Camiones” which are trucks and school buses that run between cities, they are an unofficial black market transport for local Cubans. Honestly, if you don’t speak Spanish, save yourself the trouble and time spent waiting by the roadside for a random school bus and just buy the Viazul ticket, it’s cheap, direct, comfortable and reliable.
Viazul Bus Tickets to Varadero
- Havana – Varadero cost 10 CUC ($10 USD) and it takes 3 hours. Departure: 8 am, 10 am, 1 pm, 5 pm
- Santa Clara – Varadero cost 11 CUC ($11 USD) and it takes 3.5 hours. Departure: 8 am, 5 pm.
- Trinidad – Varadero cost 20 CUC ($20 USD) and it takes 6.5 hours. Departure: 7 am, 1:55 pm
- Vinales – Havana- Varadero cost 12 CUC + 10 CUC ($22 USD) and takes 6.5 hours. Departure: 8 am from Vinales to Havana, then catch the 1 pm from Havana to Varadero.
Buying a Bus Ticket
The one thing I found the most stressful in Cuba was getting a seat on the bus. I’ve mentioned in other articles that I recommend booking all your Casas (Airbnbs) in Cuba in advance of leaving for your trip. It’s the easiest thing to do given the lack of internet access. Well getting to your next destination is the next big thing! If you have an accommodation booked, you have to get there in time! This can be a challenge in Cuba because there is only Viazul for buses.
Tip: Book all your Bus Tickets in advance.
You can book your bus tickets directly through the Viazul website with valid credit cards. This way, you can plan your trip and travel stress free. Plan your Casas and your Bus routes.
If you really hate planning your trip well in advance, there is another way to do it. Buy your departing bus ticket upon arrival at your destination. In Havana, go to the bus terminal early in the morning and you’ll probably get a ticket for the first or second bus. When you arrive in Varadero buy your departure ticket right then and there for your next destination like Trinidad or Santa Clara.
I forced Alisa to walk with me to the Viazul Bus Station the day before we intended to leave Varadero to buy tickets to Trinidad. I was stressed out. Luckily, it was the slow season, so we got tickets just one day in advance, but that’s not a guarantee in the busy season of March-May.
Getting Around Varadero
Varadero Beach is essentially one long peninsula, the beach is over 20 kms long… 20 beautiful kilometers of white sand, caves and ecological reserves.
Options for getting around on the peninsula are very limited. There are taxis and old 1960s classic cars that can be flagged down along Avenida Primera, the main road that runs parallel to the beach. But they gouge all tourists. A 5 minute ride can cost $5 CUC ($5 USD) to 12 CUC ($12 USD). That doesn’t seem like much but that’s per trip to get anywhere you want to go! It only costs 10 CUC ($10 USD) for the bus from Havana, but getting a lift down the street and back can easily run 20-30 CUC ($20-30 USD) in a day!
Alisa and I spent most of our 3 days at Varadero Beach within a 20 block section of the peninsula, between calle 18 and calle 38. 20 blocks was the most we felt comfortable walking around in the heat. We used a taxi only to make our way from the Viazul Bus Terminal to our Casa on Calle 22.
If you book a Casa with bicycles included or available for rent, you’ll probably save 30-40 CUC ($30-40 USD) over your stay because you won’t need to take a taxi to get around. Biking the peninsula is quite wonderful in the early morning since there are so many parks and sights.
Banks & ATMs in Varadero
After sorting out Bus Tickets and Airbnbs, the next thing to do is find an ATM or Bank if you need more money. Along Calle 36, down the street from the Viazul Bus Station there are two banks. I already wrote extensively about getting money in Cuba in our “Arriving in Havana – How to Prepare” article, check it out.
I went to Banco de Ahorro Popular, seen on the map image. I waited for 15 minutes to see a teller, presented my passport and exchanged Euros and Canadian Dollars for CUCs. Again , US Dollars are really bad in Cuba, carry any other currency instead. This is where they didn’t accept my slightly torn bill, which is ridiculous. For whatever reason, my debit and credit cards didn’t work at the ATM either. The banks are only open from 9 am to 5 pm, so plan accordingly and don’t put yourself in a position to only rely on an ATM late at night, that’s unwise.
I found traveling Cuba to be one of the most challenging experiences because everything is old, it’s like traveling back in the 1960s. In Vietnam, ATMs are everywhere and accept credit cards easily and reliably. But ATMs suck in Cuba. I almost considered getting a travellers cheque to get cash at the bank. Fortunately, that wasn’t necessary. I recommend taking out enough Euros or Canadian Dollars for two weeks at a time and exchanging them as needed at the bank.
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